Christmas wallpaper - Christmas Customs and Traditions

The Christmas holiday abounds in interesting customs and traditions. Some of these Christmas customs and traditions are wholeheartedly religious, while others are secular and relaxed. Some countries also have a national flavor in their customs of Christmas. So evidently, the customs and traditions of Christmas are neither singular nor homogenous all over the world. These keep varying from region to region, and from country to country. Popular Christmas traditions such as the exchanging of gifts, decorating the Christmas tree, the Yule log, the holly bough, the kissing under mistletoe etc are more or less common to all places.

In Christian countries, Christmas has become the most significant holiday of the year, economically speaking. Christmas is celebrated for a span of twelve days following December 25 in the United Kingdom. This twelve-day Christmas tradition is marked by huge celebration and feasting and ends on the Twelfth Night or the Feast of the Epiphany. This custom of elongating the Christmas celebrations is gaining popularity by the year. Christmas celebrations begin weeks before the actual day in the United States and the United Kingdom to lengthen the shopping season of Christmas and also to allow more time for meetings and greetings.

The Emo Lifestyle

What is emo?

Emo stands for emotional rock. This phrase is contradictory; I know, mostly all music is emotional in one way or another.

Various Emo Scene Hairstyles

When you see teenagers nowadays and the way they dress up, you can virtually see the myriad of fashion influences from all around the world. Whether it is the glamorous life or a rip-off outfit from a magazine, you also can't miss the growing population of a certain "special" group of people - the fans of the emo (short for emotional) scene. Emo fashion has truly become a casual scene on the streets. Defined by their skinny jeans, thick eyeliners, dark framed eyeglasses, hand cuffs, cardigans, barrettes, a pair or two of Converse all star low top canvas, the list can go on and on. The bottom line is - the emo scene has arrived and it has brought along its distinct flavor and style.

Why I hate Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is terrible for two kinds of people -- those who are single and those who aren't.

For single people, the day is a disappointing reminder they don't have that "special someone" in their life. Not a fun feeling -- believe me, I've been there.

But personally I think it's worse for people in a relationship. Single people can choose to ignore Valentine's Day. However, if you're in a relationship, the last thing you want to do is ignore Valentine's Day -- believe me, I've been there, too.

What may have started out as a holiday intended to bring couples together has been transformed into a commercial spectacle peddled to us by florists, greeting card companies, jewelry stores and makers of stuffed animals.

My issue is not with being romantic or expressing your feelings to the person you love. My issue is being required to do so on February 14. This date has zero connection to us. Each year on February 14 we are in essence commanded to be "romantic."

Shouldn't romance be organic -- sort of like a "Cialis moment"? That's the "moment" in the TV commercials for Cialis, the drug designed to combat erectile dysfunction -- where the couple is lifting a table together, their eyes meet, and bingo: It's a "Cialis moment." It may be drug-enhanced, but at least they chose the moment.

Valentine's Day : Say 'I love you' -- in so many ways

A man from Vermont got into the habit of leaving his wife little notes. Nothing elaborate -- just sweet sentiments like "I love you" or "I can't wait to get home to you tonight," jotted down on Post-it notes and then hidden in places where he knew she'd stumble over them throughout the course of her day.

She'd open a drawer or reach into a kitchen cabinet and find a hidden note. From inside the dog food bin, to the laundry hamper, to the driver's seat of her car, the notes were everywhere.

He was in the military and he was shipped out during the early days of the war in Iraq, where he was killed in action. On the morning of the funeral, his young widow put on her winter coat, placed her hands in her pockets, and found the last two notes which he had hidden there for her before he had left home. Knowing exactly what they were, she slowly pulled them out of her pockets.

Valentine's Day 2013 Love Advice - Tips on How to Get Your Lover Back

If you are sitting there all day crying and expecting to get your lover back to spend your Valentine's day with in a romantic getaway setting, you are probably feeling helpless right now. The truth is that there is always something you can do to make him fall in love with you again. We are going to drive right in now with a foundational concept that is certainly going to increase your chances of getting your lover back no matter what caused the break up in the first place.

There are some proven ways you can use to get your lover to understand why the two of you are actually meant for each other. If you follow the tips below, you will be able to enjoy Valentine's Day 2013 in your lover's arms.

Valentine's Day Wallpaper - The History of St. Valentine's Day

Across the world on February 14th, many flowers, cards and gifts will be exchanged between loved ones, as St. Valentine's day is celebrated.

However, the story of why we celebrate this day is a bit of a mystery.

The tradition of St. Valentine's Day mixes elements of both ancient Roman rites and Christian tradition. Just to confuse matters further, three different saints called Valentine are recognised by the Catholic Church.

One legend is that Valentine was a priest in Rome during the third century. Emperor Claudius II decreed that marriage was to be outlawed for young men, as he thought that single men made better soldiers than those who were married with families.

Valentine, felt the decree was unjust and unfair, and defied the Emperor by performing secret marriages for young lovers. When his actions for undercover lovers was discovered, Claudius ordered valentine be executed. Variations on this legend say that Valentine was put to death for trying to help fellow Christians escape from harsh Roman prisons where they were often tortured.

According to another legend, Valentine may have actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself in 270 AD the day before he was to be executed for refusing to renounce his Christian beliefs. Allegedly he sent note of appreciation to his jailer's blind daughter for bringing him food and delivering messages while he was imprisoned, signed "from your Valentine.

While we can never be certain as to the true origin of the St. Valentine legend, one thing is for certain, it must have been an appealing and enduring story because by the Middle Ages, Valentine had become one of the most popular saints in France and Britain.

The timing observance of his saint's day may have been driven by the common place practice of trying to integrate previous pagan festivals into the Christian calendar. in this case, the Lupercalia festival.